Are Dryer Belts Interchangeable?
Sometimes repairs together with replacements are made easier past the fact that one office is interchangeable across all models or brands. Dryer belts are merely a strip of condom, and so it makes feel to wonder if such a inexpensive, basic piece tin can be replaced across all dryers without business concern for size.
Unfortunately, things are non always as elementary equally they may seem. Dryer belts are much more complex than 1 would intend. Let’sec explore what makes them and so dissimilar from each other together with why nosotros should not interchange them every bit nosotros please.
Each dryer belt is specifically designed for a certain type as well as model of dryer. What type and size of the belt are required depends on the capacity as well as weight tolerance of the dryer’second drum. Using unlike belts interchangeably tin can atomic number 82 to severe technical issues and campaign the belts to snap.
Do All Dryers Use the Same Belt?
Washers as well as dryers are ordinarily recognized for their mesmerizing spinning motility. In dryers, this spinning is achieved through the role of a pulley arrangement inside the dryer.
A motor inside the dryer creates a rotating drive. This is where the dryer belt becomes a crucial role, as it attaches to both a pulley cycle connected to the motor together with the drum inwards guild to transfer this rotation from the pulley to the drum.
Depending on your dryer model, all the same, the parts within of your appliance volition differ slightly in size or shape. Because of this, the required length together with width of the belt volition too differ from model to model.
How Do Dryer Belts Differ
As mentioned higher up, dissimilar dryers role unlike belts to adapt the size of the other components inside the dryer.
Width is one constituent that differs between belts. A traditional dryer belt volition live ¼ inch wide, simply a few models may postulate a wider or thinner belt.
Length is another lineament that may change from belt to belt. Some belts volition be 79 inches long, spell others will live 88 inches long, in addition to others fifty-fifty power live every bit long as 92 inches.
Different belts may as well have a slightly dissimilar groove design. If yous wait at a dryer belt, you lot volition detect that one side is shine patch the other has ridges or grooves.
The grooved side of a dryer belt is meant to slot into the ridges of a pulley wheel. These ridges create an extra surface area, allowing for more than friction too better traveling bag between the belt and the pulleys. The ridges also help the belt to suitcase against the drum, and so it must live placed amongst the grooved side against the drum.
One dryer may take components with smaller or larger grooves than some other, or else it may accept more than or fewer ridges than some other. On summit of sizing, this is another reason ane belt may not gibe another dryer properly.
Can All Dryer Belts Be Used Interchangeably?
If you lot intend in that location is no damage inwards using dryer belts interchangeably as a minor deviation inwards the size cannot effort much impairment, you lot aren’t going to like what I’1000 nearly to enjoin.
While yes, a dryer mightiness technically nonetheless work fifty-fifty if y'all finish up using the wrong belt, by doing then, yous are basically request for more or less serious technical issues downward the route (in addition to the belt breaking will live the least of your problems at that indicate).
Any of the characteristics that differ from i belt to the next could arrive so that a belt is not compatible with your car.
A belt could be likewise long, too thick, too sparse, or grooved differently than the belt that is meant to run amongst your appliance.
Some drums are designed to be able to grip more weight than others, which will also bear on what size of a belt is needed. On the other mitt, 1 dryer may merely take a bigger drum than another, requiring a longer belt than the dryer with the smaller drum would.
Similarly, non every motor pulley or idler pulley is made the same. Some are meant to fit wider belts than others and merely volition non operate effectively with a thinner belt.
So, no–dissimilar sizes or types of dryer belts should non live used interchangeably under whatever circumstances.
What Happens if You Use the Wrong Belt
If you finish up going alongside the incorrect belt size every bit your replacement, yous are probable to end upwards alongside some other broken belt in a few weeks to a few months.
Because each dryer is designed differently, its parts volition reflect that. By using an incorrect replacement, y'all may be putting your dryer’s other parts nether strain equally they run to compensate.
Using Smaller Belt
If your dryer belt is as well brusque, you lot may but live unable to jibe it around your drum as well as onto the pulleys.
However, even if you lot are able to install a curt belt, you volition nevertheless live putting your dryer’second other components nether stress every bit they resist the tension created.
Think most how it feels when you force your ain belt as well tight!
A modest belt volition place your dryer’second bearings under besides much strain. The belt could likewise campaign the misalignment or harm of other parts, such equally the pulley organization. Or it could fifty-fifty issue inwards motor failure–that is, if the belt itself does not snap commencement.
Additionally, if your belt is narrower than it should be, and so it will non properly fill up the space it is meant to make full on your pulleys. This volition outcome inwards slippage from side to side, creating additional rut as well as friction that can apace burn down through your belt.
Using Larger Belt
If your belt is besides long, yous volition also have problems. While a long belt volition non pull on other parts equally a short belt would, it may live as well liberate to fifty-fifty travelling bag onto them.
A belt that is likewise loose to suitcase onto the drum or pulleys will but rotate over them instead. This will effort your drum to spin rattling poorly if it rotates at all.
Like a belt that is also narrow, a belt that is as well long is too probable to slide around on the drum from side to side or completely slip off, creating additional friction and vesture too risking displacement at the same time.
However, a belt that is too wide likewise runs the hazard of displacement, equally it could check poorly over the pulley wheels too may non be appropriately confined betwixt the wheels’ raised edges.
How to Find the Right Dryer Belt
Getting the correct dryer belt is real important, to enjoin the to the lowest degree. Thankfully in that location are several ways to ensure that you lot buy the correct replacement.
One of the nearly direct methods is but going to be giving the manufacturer a telephone call. While yous will need to notice together with render your motorcar’sec model number, y'all are merely almost guaranteed to get the correct information past contacting the manufacturer.
If you lot nevertheless take your dryer’second manual on paw, checking within of it is some other pick for sizing your belt correctly (this is likewise bang-up if you lot hate call calls!). The manual should take information regarding all of your dryer’second components, belt size included.
Alternatively, if you all the same take the onetime belt, yous may desire to accept a closer wait at it. It is likely that the belt will have a product number printed somewhere–if it is legible, you may live able to just expect upwardly too purchase a novel belt with this method.
You can too have a await at the tables I supply inward my Ultimate Dryer Belt Sizing Guide.
Sources
https://diy.repairclinic.com/how-to-supercede-a-dryer-belt/
https://www.sidmartinbio.org/what-happens-if-dryer-belt-is-likewise-tight/
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